Lin An hadn’t held out much hope, but Li Yao gave her a pleasant surprise.
In less than half a day, Li Yao successfully drew qi into her body.
“Master, I did it! I can feel a faint current of qi flowing through my body. It’s warm and very comfortable.”
Li Yao excitedly ran to Lin An to report the news at once.
Lin An was slightly stunned.
He didn’t know much about the specifics of cultivation, but he had read countless cultivation novels in his previous life.
Anyone who could draw qi into their body in half a day probably had fairly impressive aptitude.
[Ding: The host has successfully made an investment. The investment target has been bound.]
Upon hearing the system’s notification, Lin An was finally certain that Li Yao truly possessed a spiritual root.
“Take these spirit stones. Hold them in your hand while cultivating. They may be of some help.”
After a moment’s thought, he also gave Li Yao the twenty low-grade spirit stones Zhang Fan had given him.
Li Yao left the study and looked at the bag filled with spirit stones in her hands. Her heart was full of gratitude.
Master had saved her mother, given them a stable life, and even allowed her to become a cultivator. She was afraid she could never repay such kindness in her lifetime.
Since that was the case, she would cultivate diligently. Once she became an immortal, she would be able to do even more for Master.
Li Yao silently made up her mind.
After Li Yao left, Lin An took out the communication talisman he had treasured for many years.
“Introducing Li Yao to an immortal sect should count as an investment too, right? After all, connections are a form of investment as well.”
He murmured to himself before tearing the communication talisman apart and briefly explaining Li Yao’s situation.
...
Three days later, Lin An saw Zhang Fan again for the first time in many years.
Zhang Fan now had a full beard and looked like a disheartened middle-aged man.
“Brother Lin An, you said you found a promising talent? Is that really true?”
He took out a gourd, drank a mouthful of liquor, and teased Lin An in a calm tone.
Even after all these years, their relationship had not grown distant. It was as though they had only been apart for a few days.
“You’ve changed your style? You went from a sunny young man to a disheartened middle-aged uncle?”
“What happened to you all these years?”
Lin An did not answer immediately. Instead, he first asked Zhang Fan about what he had experienced over the years.
Zhang Fan shrugged indifferently. “I fell in love with a woman, but she rejected me.”
He said it simply, but Lin An could tell from his eyes that things had not been so simple.
Perhaps a great deal had happened, but it was Zhang Fan’s personal business, and Lin An did not want to pry.
“All right, enough about me. We haven’t been in touch for so many years. I thought you’d never use a communication talisman in your life.”
“Quickly, bring out that promising talent you mentioned. Let me take a look.”
“If she really is a genius, I can help recommend a suitable master for her.”
Lin An had never asked him for anything all these years. Since this was the first time Lin An had sought his help, Zhang Fan would handle it seriously no matter what.
Lin An nodded and sent someone to summon Li Yao.
“Master.”
Li Yao entered the study. After casting a curious glance at Zhang Fan, she respectfully saluted Lin An.
“It’s her.”
Lin An pointed at Li Yao, then looked toward Zhang Fan.
Zhang Fan said nothing. He simply took a spirit-testing stone from his storage bag.
“Place your hand on it.”
Seeing Lin An nod, Li Yao obediently placed her hand on the spirit-testing stone.
The next moment, the stone radiated a dazzling light.
This light was many times brighter than the one produced when Zhang Fan had been tested.
Zhang Fan’s eyes widened slightly, his face filled with astonishment.
“An extreme-grade single spiritual root—and a rare ice-type one at that.”
“Brother Lin An, where did you find such a genius?”
“If this talent were revealed to the outside world, the various immortal sects would trample Yan’an City flat just to get to her by the next day.”
His voice carried a hint of excitement.
With an extreme-grade single spiritual root, as long as she did not die prematurely, she was virtually guaranteed to reach the Core Formation Realm and become an absolute overlord in this part of the world.
“So her aptitude is really that exceptional?” Lin An asked.
He was delighted. The higher Li Yao’s aptitude, the greater the returns from his investment would be in the future.
“It’s more than exceptional. It’s astonishingly high.”
Zhang Fan shook his head helplessly, then summoned his flying sword.
“This matter is of great importance. I need to take her back to the sect immediately.”
“With talent like hers, I’m afraid another immortal sect might snatch her away if she stays outside for even one day.”
Lin An found his reaction somewhat amusing. Was Zhang Fan overreacting a little?
Only Li Yao wore a bewildered expression, completely unable to understand what the two men were talking about.
Lin An did not stop him. He gave Li Yao a few simple instructions and asked her to bid farewell to her mother before allowing Zhang Fan to take her away.
Before they parted, Lin An asked Zhang Fan for a spirit-testing stone.
With this, he could test anyone who might possess a spiritual root in the future, preventing his investments from going to waste.
Besides the spirit-testing stone, Zhang Fan also gave Lin An one hundred low-grade spirit stones, three bottles of Qi-Gathering Pills, several communication talismans, and attack talismans capable of threatening Foundation Establishment cultivators.
“If you come across another talent like this in the future, don’t forget to tell me.”
“By the way, how is it that you still haven’t married after all these years? I thought I’d see you surrounded by children and grandchildren when I came this time.”
“If you ever have a descendant with a spiritual root, I can make an exception and take him as my disciple.”
Even as they parted, Zhang Fan did not forget to tease him.
However, his words were sincere. It was clear that he genuinely wanted to give Lin An a helping hand.
“We’ll talk about the future when it arrives.”
Lin An waved his hand, refusing to continue the subject.
Longevity was both a blessing and a curse. Mortals lived far too briefly, and he did not want to watch his loved ones and children die one after another in his arms.
So he would avoid forming such karmic ties—and with them, avoid those troubles.
When Zhang Fan left, he made quite a spectacle, causing a tremendous commotion.
The major clans in Yan’an City all witnessed it. Once again, they confirmed that a Foundation Establishment powerhouse truly stood behind Lin An.
As a result, they once again issued strict orders: no one in their clans was to offend Lin An.
After Li Yao left, Lin An returned to his life as an unremarkable wealthy landowner.
Days passed one after another, and before he knew it, three years had gone by.
Three years later, Li Yao returned, accompanied by three others.
Two of them were young fellow disciples, a man and a woman. The third was a taciturn middle-aged man who remained constantly at Li Yao’s side, protecting her.
“Yao’er, you’ve grown up—and you’ve become so beautiful.”
Li Yao’s mother looked at her daughter, whose appearance and bearing had changed dramatically, and her eyes filled with joy.
“Mother, I’m sorry.”
Li Yao knelt before her mother and respectfully kowtowed.
“My master decreed that I wasn’t allowed to leave the sect until I reached the peak of Qi Refining.”
“I haven’t been able to fulfill my duty as your daughter all these years. That was my fault.”
The middle-aged man remained expressionless as he watched the scene, but the two young disciples wore faintly displeased expressions.
“Senior Sister Li, you’re now the Sect Master’s personal disciple. How can you casually kneel before an ordinary person?”
The male disciple could not help reminding her.
Li Yao’s mother hurriedly helped her to her feet. “Yao’er, you’re an immortal now. Kneeling really isn’t appropriate.”
“You’re my mother. You gave birth to me and raised me. During that drought, you risked your life to protect me, and that’s why I have what I have today. It’s only right that I kneel to you.”
After saying this, Li Yao frowned and looked at the male disciple.
“Chu Xiao, you have no right to interfere in my affairs.”
The male disciple’s expression turned sour, but because of Li Yao’s status, he could only swallow his displeasure.